


The Toy Library

by RealFictionalTrash



Category: Sherlock (TV)
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2017-01-29
Updated: 2017-01-29
Packaged: 2018-09-20 17:16:36
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,766
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9502079
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RealFictionalTrash/pseuds/RealFictionalTrash
Summary: To Beth: I'm sorry for spoiling The Final Problem, I hope you enjoy my one-shot in compensation.





	

**Author's Note:**

> To Beth: I'm sorry for spoiling The Final Problem, I hope you enjoy my one-shot in compensation.

Stepping into the dark of the building, Beth began switching lights on methodically. She had began volunteering for Noah's Ark Toy Library since the beginning of summer. It was a new facility that provided an arrangement of toys to parents who would pay a reasonable sum for a membership card. There were toys of all shapes and sizes, for children who had any number of disabilities.

The library had a handful of rooms, two of which were offices; one kitchen; two storage rooms; a fairly empty room where children were brought in to be read to and the lobby in which children would occasionally occupy with their laughter and energy. Usually the shelves in the lobby that held the library's most popular toys were orderly, yet today it was chaotic.

Toys had been rearranged and were spilling off the shelves precariously. There lay, however a single lone toy on the ground in the middle of the chaos. This toy was nicknamed the 'Psychedelic Monkey' as,it was a switch toy that would go berserk and smash it symbols together while moving on it's hind legs. It was a fan favourite of the staff, not many toys brought a smile to their faces these days. Today it sat silently, leagues away from the rest. Who had left the place in such a mess? Why had they left that particular toy in that peculiar spot?

The library had settled into an eerie silence that pricked Beth's skin and made the hair on her arms and the back of her neck rise. She advanced to the Psychedelic Monkey. Slowly with each step it spun into motion. Beth stopped mid-step, staring at the toy in confusion and horror. There was no switch in sight and she clearly remembered taking the batteries out of the toy before leaving. The monkey halted its movement and Beth released a sigh of relief.

In a shock of noise, the toys burst into a blur of action and fevered movement. Beth froze in her spot. She attempted to scream however all that escaped her dry mouth was a croak. Beth was dumbfounded and caught completely off guard, she could not believe what she was witnessing before her eyes. Yet, slowly almost in a trace like state she pinched her arm and mentally noted the pain. Beth was not in a dream she concluded; things had taken a turn for the worse.

As the toys began to notice her presence, their crazed movement slowed to slow deliberate crawl... In her direction. Horrified she turned to run when the front door swung open to reveal a wiry, tall and handsome man clad in black.  
"What are _you_ doing here?" she hissed glancing over her shoulder at the slowly advancing toys.  
"I could ask you the same but it seems we have a predicament on our hands that needs solving first," he replied calmly, nodding in the direction of the toys who had a mind of their own.  
"Never mind that, we have to run!" Beth exclaimed exasperated, side stepping around the man to reach the door.  
The man sighed and gripped her arm, "There's no need to fear. Think carefully, I'm sure you'll find it within your capabilities to figure it out."

Beth in a state of shock and panic hurriedly glanced over her shoulder to check the progress of the toys and to her horror they had not stopped crawling. Trying to rip her arm of the man's grip, he only held firmer and gave her a stern look. She had no choice, they would be malled to death by the toys soon enough.

-One month prior -  
Walking down the busy streets of London at night, breathing in the crisp air with a slight bite to it, always brought a smile to Beth's face. The city was a sight to behold in all weather, be it day or night. Despite this, as in every city, there were definitely the oddities of society that lead a lady walking down a street on her own to tighten her hands around her phone; to lengthen her stride and to grip her keys in her hands.

Tonight she was unfortunate enough to encounter such a man, he was swaying to and fro close to her apartment at 221B Baker Street, the sub basement rooms. Grinding her teeth, she stormed past the man to the front door, quickly shoving her keys in and heaving the wooden door open. She was quick to close the door but a foot had lodged itself in-between, the ragged man from earlier stood before her.  
"Kindly remove your foot before I stab it with a sharp object," calmly Beth stated, gripping an umbrella in her hands.  
"Let me in. I live here," he muttered his words stumbling over each other as if they too were drunk.  
At the dubious look Beth shot him he sighed exasperated, "If you really need proof, call Mrs Hudson."

As he uttered those words, Mrs Hudson opened the door to her apartment.  
"Oh, Sherlock! What have you done this time? Dear, let him in," she approached them both and smiled at Beth. Reluctantly she opened the door and Sherlock stumbled into the lobby, quite nearly knocking her over.  
"Pleasure meeting you," she commented sarcastically, pushing past him to the door of her own apartment. Although she usually was not the type to judge, this was not what she was expecting of a tenant holder in a flat right in the middle of London.

\- A few days later -  
Beth stepped out of her apartment for a morning jog, equipped with the regular exercise gear a jogger in winter is usually seen sporting. As she opened the heavy wooden door to the lobby she spotted a familiar figure clad in a black coat.  
"If you sit here, you can't blame people for walking into you," she stated, closing the door behind her.  
"That is exactly the reason why I've chosen to sit in this particular spot," Sherlock replied broodingly, his hands clasped together resting on his knees. Hesitating, Beth wondered if she should ask for an explanation. Deciding her curiosity would be the death of her one day, she sat down beside him and asked why it was so.

"I really do deserve to be walked over," he muttered under his breath. Beth raised an eyebrow, not only was he a hopeless drunk; he loathed himself. She didn't answer, waiting for him to further explain himself. Instead he launched into a story.  
"In August, the capital of the state Western Australia - Perth, there was a collection of 100 pieces of history that was displayed in the museum. One of those pieces was a holographic projector, ticket holders were able to see for their own eyes a 3D projection of a rhinoceros," Sherlock stated, gazing off into the far distance.

"How is this even remotely related to why you're sitting here?" she asked, puzzled.  
He sighed audibly, "I might finally receive peace." Having not received a fit explanation she attempted to ask again but before she could do so he cut her off.  
"Of course you wouldn't understand, why don't you scuttle and be off with your jogging routine," he turned to her, his gaze cold and detached. Offended, Beth stood up abruptly and glared down at the man who seemed so pitiful mere seconds ago.  
"Next time I won't be so courteous as to ask why you're in the way," she replied bitingly, walking down the stairs. Beth regretted her innate curiosity and instinctual sympathy.

-Present day-  
Of the two chance meetings she had with the man only one held any key information. Furrowing her brows she studied Sherlock's face, he had yet to groom himself, his appearance as gruff as the day she met him. His eyes however held a muted sparkle, his mouth tugging into a smile. Beth took that as an encouragement.  
"Do you mean to say these are all just holograms?!" she exclaimed exasperated. How could a hologram seem so real? Not to mention the sheer mass of toys that were still hot on their tails.

Sherlock chuckled pulling her towards the toys as she resisted with all her might, "Are you out of your mind?!" He stopped short of the toys and held a hand out while looking expectantly at her. At the head of the pact was the Psychedelic Monkey, ramming its symbols together in no particular rhythm. Sherlock reached down towards it, slowly and deliberately. Just as Beth thought the his fingers would be wrap around the toy - it passed straight through.

Sherlock grinned at Beth's dumbfounded expression, "Simple, really. Under your state of panic and shock, you failed to notice the toys haven't advanced any further. They're only moving their limbs."  
He gestured at the mass of toys and to her utter dismay he was in fact correct.  
She sighed, "Then where are all the real toys? Also, why are you here?"  
He nodded, that sparkle in his eyes alighting in mischief. "You're finally asking the right questions." Beth rolled her eyes, seeking for the projectors.  
"You see but you do not observe," he insisted, walking to the back of the room displaying the empty shelves and crouched right in the centre of the room.  
"What are you-" Beth scoffed but before she could finish her sentence, the image of the once empty shelves slowly revealed the orderly and tidy shelves stocked to the brim with toys. Sherlock had discovered a tapestry that could be maneuvered to any length at will by tugging it at the ends.  
She was shellshocked, who would go to such lengths for an elaborate prank?

Her answer lied within a small post it note stuck to miniature blue police box placed at eye level at the centre of the shelves. It read: 'You seemed miserable so I found you a friend to play with. -JM.'  
"To play with?!" Beth exclaimed, "What are you, a fucking five year old?!" She turned to look at Sherlock who seemed on the verge of both laughing hysterically or punching a wall.  
"Come to think of it, how did you find me anyhow?" Beth asked suspiciously, her brows furrowing.  
Sherlock dug out his phone from his pocket and wordlessly displayed the text message from an anonymous sender.  
'Here's a little puzzle, Sherly. I'm sure you're bored~  
God was not pleased. Oh no, he wished to purge the earth of all the wrong doings human had created. Thus he saved one man, his family and two of each species ever to have lived. Come and _play_." 


End file.
